this is a stupid issue. if the braves FRONT OFFICE wasnt hiring capable black staffers, then yeah..go get em.

but players? cmon. the braves are going to get whoever WANTS TO PLAY. and young black players have migrated towards football and basketball.

IndianWhiteSox

05-08-2007, 09:10 AM

wow.....jesse's really pushing it.

why not meet with the sox or cubs? teams in your back yard jesse?

this is a stupid issue. if the braves FRONT OFFICE wasnt hiring capable black staffers, then yeah..go get em.

but players? cmon. the braves are going to get whoever WANTS TO PLAY. and young black players have migrated towards football and basketball.

Thank you!

If anything, African-Americans can only blame themselves for this as now more than ever, regardless of actual skill ability or interest of the game, it's NBA or Bust. The fact of the matter is this, MLB has TRIED to market in hoods with their numerous programs and it's failed. If Jesse Jackson can help market MLB to "his people" instead of whining why the Braves have only have one African-American in Willie Harris, then just maybe, there can be more African Americans in baseball.

soxfanatlanta

05-08-2007, 09:10 AM

I'm going to try real hard not to go off on this one.

Countered Beasley, "As I expected, (Schuerholz's) idea is the bottom line: I'll put the best 40 men I can get wherever I can get them from on the field, and that's fair. But the fact of the matter is if they put resources into recruiting here in the United States, and more specifically here in Atlanta, there are talented players here.

Um...

Jeff Francour
Brain McCann
Adam LaRoche (now with Pirates)

All played in Cobb county, which is about 30 minutes from downtown. I suggest strongly that Beasley does some basic homework before is spouts off this drivel. (I tried to be nice)

Yes, the current roster has very few African Americans on it, but to say that there is no local talent being recruited here locally is just plain wrong.

jdm2662

05-08-2007, 09:14 AM

I'm sure once the Braves give Jesse the cash he seeks, he won't be around any time soon.

WhiteSox5187

05-08-2007, 09:15 AM

I still don't see what the issue here is. If African-American kids don't want to play baseball, they don't want to play and why should anyone force them to play? NOw if it's the sort of thing where they're not playing because they can't afford the bats or the gloves, that is where MLB should step in and start giving away more equiptment (forgive my spelling) but from what I've read MLB has a lot of inner-city programs and other programs aimed at youth baseball (both African-American and white) where they give out free gear. But if people don't want to play, why force them?

itsnotrequired

05-08-2007, 09:18 AM

I still don't see what the issue here is. If African-American kids don't want to play baseball, they don't want to play and why should anyone force them to play? NOw if it's the sort of thing where they're not playing because they can't afford the bats or the gloves, that is where MLB should step in and start giving away more equiptment (forgive my spelling) but from what I've read MLB has a lot of inner-city programs and other programs aimed at youth baseball (both African-American and white) where they give out free gear. But if people don't want to play, why force them?

http://www.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/community/rbi.jsp

itsnotrequired

05-08-2007, 09:20 AM

Thank you!

If anything, African-Americans can only blame themselves for this as now more than ever, regardless of actual skill ability or interest of the game, it's NBA or Bust. The fact of the matter is this, MLB has TRIED to market in hoods with their numerous programs and it's failed. If Jesse Jackson can help market MLB to "his people" instead of whining why the Braves have only have one African-American in Willie Harris, then just maybe, there can be more African Americans in baseball.

It isn't about blame. No one's blaming anyone. It's all about exposure and increasing awareness. The RBI program is wildly successful and continues to grow.

WhiteSox5187

05-08-2007, 09:22 AM

http://www.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/community/rbi.jsp
That sorta proves my point, the programs are out there if kids want to play...but if the kids don't want to play, why should we force 'em?

IndianWhiteSox

05-08-2007, 09:24 AM

It isn't about blame. No one's blaming anyone. It's all about exposure and increasing awareness. The RBI program is wildly successful and continues to grow.

Obviously, they are blaming the Braves for having only one African-American player as it says in the article and how do you know it's that damn successful when there are less African-Americans now more than ever in the past 40 years.

itsnotrequired

05-08-2007, 09:24 AM

That sorta proves my point, the programs are out there if kids want to play...but if the kids don't want to play, why should we force 'em?

Who's being forced? The programs haven't been around long enough to have a major impact on today's rosters. 10 years down the line, there should be an increase in African-Americans on the rosters, based in large part on the RBI program.

Fenway

05-08-2007, 09:26 AM

Jesse why don't you shut up and go out and set up youth baseball leagues in the inner cities.

itsnotrequired

05-08-2007, 09:27 AM

Obviously, they are blaming the Braves for having only one African-American player as it says in the article and how do you know it's that damn successful when there are less African-Americans now more than ever in the past 40 years.

"Blaming" anyone is stupid but it still doesn't take away from the success of the RBI program. The more kids in it, the greater the number that will end up on major league rosters. See my previous point about the size of the program not being large enough 15 years ago to have an impact now.

IndianWhiteSox

05-08-2007, 09:29 AM

"Blaming" anyone is stupid but it still doesn't take away from the success of the RBI program. The more kids in it, the greater the number that will end up on major league rosters. See my previous point about the size of the program not being large enough 15 years ago to have an impact now.

Isn't the whole point of program to have more African-Americans in MLB? Now if things go as planned this is a moot point; however, as of 2007, there are still less African-Americans now than in the past 40 years.

IndianWhiteSox

05-08-2007, 09:30 AM

Jesse why don't you shut up and go out and set up youth baseball leagues in the inner cities.

I had a joke about Jesse, but I really don't want to road-house this thread.

itsnotrequired

05-08-2007, 09:33 AM

Isn't the whole point of program to have more African-Americans in MLB? Now if things go as planned this is a moot point; however, as of 2007, there are still less African-Americans now than in the past 40 years.

Yes, the point is to have more African-Americans in the league but when the program started 15 years ago, there were only a handful of teams. Take a random grab of a handful of Little League teams around the country and how many do you think will include a future MLB player?

The program has grown from a couple hundred participants to over 100,000. MLB is pushing for it and I can't imagine that more participants won't increase the number of future players. The sheer volume of participants all but guarantees it.

Like I said, give it 10 years or so...

IndianWhiteSox

05-08-2007, 09:39 AM

Yes, the point is to have more African-Americans in the league but when the program started 15 years ago, there were only a handful of teams. Take a random grab of a handful of Little League teams around the country and how many do you think will include a future MLB player?

The program has grown from a couple hundred participants to over 100,000. MLB is pushing for it and I can't imagine that more participants won't increase the number of future players. The sheer volume of participants all but guarantees it.

Like I said, give it 10 years or so...

Listen, I'm not disputing that fact as the only MLB player that played in the little league world series is Sheffield. I agree with you on the bolded comment. All I'm saying is that as of now it's a little slow; however, I also agree with you in the fact that in a decade or so, the numbers will increase.

itsnotrequired

05-08-2007, 09:43 AM

Listen, I'm not disputing that fact as the only MLB player that played in the little league world series is Sheffield. I agree with you on the bolded comment. All I'm saying is that as of now it's a little slow; however, I also agree with you in the fact that in a decade or so, the numbers will increase.

No one is debating that. African-American numbers are down for a variety of reasons (rise of NBA, NFL and other professional sports, general disinterest in baseball, proliferation of Latin players, etc.) but the RBI program is not a failure.

Jerko

05-08-2007, 09:44 AM

Why is this an issue? Because ESPN started it during Jackie Robinson weekend? I used to play baseball every day when I was a kid, but sometimes it was hard getting 18 players and we had to play right-field out, pitcher's hands, or whatnot. Plus, there are so many leagues now that a bunch of kids off the street can't even get any field time. What happens then? You grab a basketball, 3 of your buddies, and play for hours. I just don't see this being a great societal problem that needs all this attention. I'm sure it's cyclical and the number of African-Americans in MLB will eventually rise.

IndianWhiteSox

05-08-2007, 09:45 AM

No one is debating that. African-American numbers are down for a variety of reasons (rise of NBA, NFL and other professional sports, general disinterest in baseball, proliferation of Latin players, etc.) but the RBI program is not a failure.

I guess, but it's not really a success right now either. As you sad, give it a decade or so before we can call it whatever it will be at the time.

IndianWhiteSox

05-08-2007, 09:47 AM

Why is this an issue? Because ESPN started it during Jackie Robinson weekend? I used to play baseball every day when I was a kid, but sometimes it was hard getting 18 players and we had to play right-field out, pitcher's hands, or whatnot. Plus, there are so many leagues now that a bunch of kids off the street can't even get any field time. What happens then? You grab a basketball, 3 of your buddies, and play for hours. I just don't see this being a great societal problem that needs all this attention. I'm sure it's cyclical and the number of African-Americans in MLB will eventually rise.

Yea maybe, but the numbers don't lie as it is startling right now and you add the fact that most of these old-timers are the one's that are bringing it up not just our favorite network, ESPN.

itsnotrequired

05-08-2007, 09:49 AM

I guess, but it's not really a success right now either. As you sad, give it a decade or so before we can call it whatever it will be at the time.

How are you defining "success"? Tens of thousands of kids are playing baseball and many of them would have been unable to do so without RBI. Even if NONE of them become MLB players, the program is a success in the fact that the game is being played, thought about, discussed, etc.

IndianWhiteSox

05-08-2007, 09:51 AM

How are you defining "success"? Tens of thousands of kids are playing baseball and many of them would have been unable to do so without RBI. Even if NONE of them become MLB players, the program is a success in the fact that the game is being played, thought about, discussed, etc.

Having more African-Americans in MLB. But as you said, give it a decade or so when hopefully, more of them are playing again.

ewokpelts

05-08-2007, 10:34 AM

Having more African-Americans in MLB. But as you said, give it a decade or so when hopefully, more of them are playing again.if RBi produces ZERO future mlb players(black, white or hispanic) but the vast majority of those kids get something out of this program and lead good lives and stay out of trouble, then it's a MASSIVE success.
football and basketball are EASY money to young athletes, white or black. you get drafted, get paid, and start within the same year. baseball? eveen if you're the best player in the draft, you're not seeing triple a for at least 2 years, and you wont get a good payday for 7-8 years.

will you make more in the long run as a star? yes. but you wont get it sooner.

the answer is all about money.

CubKilla

05-08-2007, 12:15 PM

Jesse Jackson..... keeping racism alive and well in 21st Century America.

DSpivack

05-08-2007, 01:18 PM

I'm going to try real hard not to go off on this one.

Um...

Jeff Francour
Brain McCann
Adam LaRoche (now with Pirates)

All played in Cobb county, which is about 30 minutes from downtown. I suggest strongly that Beasley does some basic homework before is spouts off this drivel. (I tried to be nice)

Yes, the current roster has very few African Americans on it, but to say that there is no local talent being recruited here locally is just plain wrong.

Hi, Jack!

Other Braves from Georgia include Kyle Davies (Stockbridge), Chuck James (Mableton), Blaine Boyer (Marietta), and more.

And while not a product of the Braves organization, Willie Harris is from Columbus, Georgia; now the Braves have one African-American on the roster.

WSox597

05-08-2007, 04:14 PM

The problem with Jesse, and his understudy, Al Sharpton, is they're trying to make it look like somebody's fault. As many have said, it's just changing ideas. People want the quick buck, and the NBA / NFL are giving them that.

There is more of a learning curve in baseball, and that delays the big payday.

If I had the ability to play more than one sport professionally, as Bo Jackson or Joe Borchard, I know I'd pick baseball. More longevity, and easier on the body than football. Bo didn't hurt himself like that playing baseball.

Of course, in Borchard's case, he may have been better served by doing the opposite. :smile: